Hurricane Erin on Saturday strengthened to a "catastrophic" Category 5 storm as it barrelled towards the Caribbean, with weather officials warning of possible flash floods and landslides."Erin is now a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane,

As of Saturday morning, Erin has become a Category 5 hurricane. Maximum sustained winds are at 160 mph, and the storm is moving west-northwest at 17 mph with a lower pressure down to 917 mb. Erin is encountering warmer ocean water as it moves closer to the northernmost Leeward Islands. Hurricane Hunters are currently investigating the storm.